Observations on the fine structure of the liver in the camel (Camelus dromedarius)

The structure of macroscopically inconspicuous livers in 23 adult camels (Camelus dromedarius) was studied by light and transmission electron microscopy. A well-developed connective tissue characterizes the camel liver. Thick trabeculae divide the liver parenchyma into lobules. Portal tracts and central veins are surrounded by a variable amount of fibrous tissue. In the perisinusoidal space (DISSE), collagen fibres form a dense three-dimensional network around the sinusoids. A mild to moderate fatty infiltration is present in hepatocytes of all animals. In the epithelial cells of the bile ducts, small to medium sized lipid inclusions are a common feature. The ultrastructure of hepatocytes in the camel liver corresponds to that of other domestic mammalian species. The endothelial cells lining the sinusoids show a multiple fenestration and are surrounded by a discontinuous basal lamina. Fat-storing cells are numerous and contain lipid droplets varying in size, number and electron density from one cell to another.